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1) Editor's Comments:We'll be starting a three week series on insects. Of course, we wouldn't want to forget our other tips and suggestions -- this week eradicating weeds in pavement, pruning of blooming trees and shrubs, caring for garden tools, and more. As always, if you do have questions, suggestions or ideas, do not hesitate to drop us a note. Rex Gregor Tom Krueger 2) Box Elder Bugs:It's too bad that the Box Elder Tree is such a beautiful tree. If you let it, it can be the center piece of your yard. Besides being a fast growing tree, if you keep it trimmed it is a gorgeous tree. The female tree attracts the box elder bugs in great numbers. I am not sure why this happens, but it does. The box elder bug belongs to the family of scentless bugs and they are found all over the United States and Canada. The adult box elder bugs overwinter in protected places, unfortunately in such places as your house and other out buildings -- in cracks or crevices in walls, doors, under windows and around foundations. They generally like the south and west exposure. You may even see them in the 'dead of winter' sunning themselves on the side of your house. The box elder bug is not particular where it lays its eggs -- on fallen leaves, on the ground, on stones, cracks and crevices, or in the bark of a female box elder tree. In early spring when the female box elder tree starts to bud, the eggs will hatch. The young nymphs are wingless and bright red in color. The young bugs will usually congregate on the low vegetation around the female box elder tree or possibly on another host tree such as a maple or ash tree. If you feel the box elder tree is the total culprit, be sure to check before you consider alternatives because the host may be another tree in the neighborhood. Box elder bugs are great flyers and they have even been found on tall office buildings. If you have a succession of warm winters, you can expect a good chance the box elder bug population will be at an all time high. If you think that the box elder bugs you see on the side of your house on warm sunny days are trying to get into your house, that isn't the case -- they just like to sun themselves. It is true, however, they will hide under leaves, vegetation, or in cracks and crevices in the foundation of your house after the sun goes down. If they do get into your house, it's generally not because they are looking for food -- it's because they got lost -- they are looking for the warm sunshine. They cannot survive for long in your house. In case you do get box elder bugs in your house, there is not much you can do about it. There are dozens of chemicals registered for use on box elder bugs -- it is generally just a waste of your money. You can hire an exterminator or use some oily chemical that does not work well -- in either case you will have the smell in your house for several days. The best solution I have found is to simply plug in your vacuum cleaner and pick them up with the end of the hose. By all means don't squash them or you'll get a red stain on your carpet which may be hard to get out. In addition, if you crush them you'll not be very pleased with the foul odor. Unfortunately, there is no known natural predator for these insects. However, they do no harm -- they will not bite you; they will not eat anything inside your house; they will not bother your house plants; they are not poisonous; they do not reproduce inside your house; they are not dirty; nor do they carry any known disease. They are, however, a NUISANCE and rarely a severe problem in the home. I fully realize that just one 'bug' in your house is a severe problem to every housewife. To take care of a box elder bug problem, some people recommend that you remove the Box Elder Tree from your property. But the problem with this is that the bugs will continue to come back, sometimes for years afterwards. You can ask your neighbors to get rid of all box elder trees, but you will probably continue to have bug problems anyway. Box elder bugs are cyclical in nature, which means that in some years they will be bad, and some years they will be worse! You must remember that even if you do not have a single box elder tree in your neighborhood, maple and ash trees can be a host tree. In fact, they have been found on almost any tree, but probably not as often as you will find them on a box elder tree. Eliminating the source will not always work. For now, it appears that we may have to learn to live with them -- at least for the time being. 3) Humor for Today:The little girl was sitting in her grandfather's lap as he read her a goodnight story. From time to time, she would take her eyes off the book and reach up to touch his wrinkled cheek. She was alternately stroking her own cheek and his. Finally she spoke. "Grand Daddy, did God make you?" "Yes, sweetheart" he answered, "God made me a long time ago." "Oh she said," then "Grand Daddy, did God make me too?" "Yes, indeed honey" he assured her. "God made you just a little while ago." "Oh" she said. Feeling their respective faces again, she observed, "God's getting better at it now isn't he?" 4) Weed Eradication Tips:We all have those pesky weeds that grow through the cracks and crevices of paved surfaces or between paving stones. Here are a couple quick tips on getting rid of them without chemicals.
JENNY GREGOR'S PORTRAITS
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1)
Sprinkle some salt on those weeds. But be sure not to do this around
your desirable plants.
2)
Drench those weeds with boiling water. We've even heard old- time gardeners
suggest that water from boiled potatoes works better.
Those
of us in the northern hemisphere have seen those spring blooming trees
and shrubs, such as apples, cherries, plums, etc. show off their blooms
and are now gone or going away. These flower buds were developed during
last summer and fall.
Okay,
admit it - like me you got out to the garage this spring and found some
of those garden tools with specks of rust or not in the best condition.
I know that I just don't take care of my tools like I should.
For
those tools with wooden handles, especially the outdoor tools like shovels,
you can help them last a lifetime if you take care of them. I can be
as guilty as anyone for forgetting to leave a tool outdoors, or as can
happen more often, a child will use a tool and leave it out. This will
really shorten the life of a wooden handle and start the rusting process
right away.
It
is that time of year for graduation open houses, family reunions, etc.
How would you like to serve a new punch to that large group? We found
a great site with many